Bobby Jindal: Sell birth control over counter

'Unapologetic pro-life Republican' cites lower health-care costs

Published: 12/14/2012 at 11:43 AM

(NOLA) Gov. Bobby Jindal said oral contraceptives should be available over-the-counter in aThursday evening op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. The self-described “unapologetic pro-life Republican” governor of Louisiana said this would lower health-care costs, prevent government intrusion into citizens’ lives and fight the influence of big pharmaceutical companies.

“As a conservative Republican, I believe that we have been stupid to let the Democrats demagogue the contraceptives issue and pretend, during debates about health-care insurance, that Republicans are somehow against birth control,” Jindal said in the op-ed.

Jindal cited a December committee opinion from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists which came out in favor of over-the-counter access to the pill “to improve contraceptive access and use and possibly decrease unintended pregnancy rates.”